Circular 152/2025/TT-BTC: Accounting Guidelines for Household Businesses and Individual Entrepreneurs

Key Information

• Reference Number: 152/2025/TT-BTC
• Issuing Authority: Ministry of Finance
• Issue Date: December 31, 2025
• Effective Date: January 1, 2026
• Status: In effect

Overview of the Circular

Circular 152/2025/TT-BTC is a legal normative document issued by the Ministry of Finance to provide detailed guidance on accounting work for two specific groups in Vietnam's economy: household businesses and individual entrepreneurs. These are small-scale economic entities, typically operating independently or with a limited number of employees.

Applicable Entities

This Circular applies to:

• Household Businesses: Family households or individuals with business registration in accordance with legal regulations on household businesses
• Individual Entrepreneurs: Self-employed individuals, with or without business registration, who have tax obligations under legal provisions

These entities typically operate in sectors such as: small retail trade, food and beverage services, repair services, transportation, handicraft production, and many other trades.

Purposes and Significance

The issuance of Circular 152/2025/TT-BTC has the following main purposes:

1. Standardizing Accounting Work

Establishing a unified accounting system suitable for the characteristics of household businesses and individual entrepreneurs, helping them have more effective financial management tools.

2. Simplifying Administrative Procedures

Accounting regulations are designed to be simple and easy to implement, appropriate to the competence and resources of small business entities, minimizing compliance costs.

3. Enhancing Financial Transparency

Ensuring that financial information is fully and accurately recorded, creating a basis for proper tax declaration and helping tax authorities easily inspect and supervise.

4. Supporting Credit Access

With a clear accounting system, household businesses and individual entrepreneurs can easily demonstrate financial capacity when borrowing from banks or seeking other funding sources.

Main Content of the Circular

Although detailed content has not been fully published in the source document, Circular 152/2025/TT-BTC is expected to include the following content:

1. Accounting Documents

• Regulations on types of documents that must be prepared and retained
• Guidance on recording information on documents
• Retention period for accounting documents
• Handling documents when errors occur

2. Accounting Books

• Minimum types of accounting books that need to be established
• Bookkeeping methods appropriate for each type of business
• Periodic bookkeeping and book closing
• Standard accounting book templates

3. Accounting Accounts

• Simplified chart of accounts for household businesses
• Principles of recognition and classification of economic transactions
• Methods of accounting for common transactions

4. Financial Reports

• Simple financial report templates appropriate to scale
• Reporting periods
• Using report information for management and tax declaration

5. Asset, Receivables, and Payables Management

• Principles of monitoring and managing fixed assets
• Inventory management
• Tracking debts with customers and suppliers

Benefits of Compliance

Proper implementation of the provisions in Circular 152/2025/TT-BTC brings many benefits:

• Legal Compliance: Avoiding risks of administrative penalties related to accounting and taxation
• Effective Management: Clear understanding of the financial situation of business operations
• Accurate Tax Declaration: Having adequate database to fulfill tax obligations
• Building Credibility: Increasing trust with partners, customers, and credit institutions
• Business Planning: Accounting data helps forecast and formulate development strategies

Recommendations for Household Business Owners and Individual Entrepreneurs

1. Study the Circular Thoroughly: Fully understand the regulations to know your obligations
2. Participate in Training: Attend training courses organized by tax authorities or business associations
3. Use Support Tools: Apply simple accounting software or hire accounting services if needed
4. Systematically Store Documents: Preserve documents and invoices completely and scientifically
5. Professional Consultation: When facing difficulties, seek advice from accounting experts or tax authorities

Practical Implementation Guide

Getting Started

For household businesses and individual entrepreneurs just starting to implement this Circular:

• Assess Current Practice: Review your existing record-keeping methods
• Identify Gaps: Compare current practices with new requirements
• Develop Action Plan: Create a timeline for transitioning to compliant accounting
• Allocate Resources: Determine if you need to invest in software, training, or professional services

Common Challenges and Solutions

Challenge 1: Limited Accounting Knowledge

• Solution: Attend government-sponsored training programs or online courses specifically designed for micro-businesses

Challenge 2: Time Constraints

• Solution: Use mobile accounting apps that allow quick entry of transactions on-the-go

Challenge 3: Cost Concerns

• Solution: Start with basic manual bookkeeping following the simplified templates provided, then gradually upgrade as business grows

Integration with Tax Obligations

The accounting system prescribed in this Circular is designed to facilitate:

• Monthly/Quarterly Tax Declarations: Streamlined data extraction for tax reporting
• Annual Tax Finalization: Comprehensive records for year-end compliance
• Tax Audits: Organized documentation for easier inspection processes

Enforcement and Penalties

While the specific penalty provisions are not detailed in the available content, non-compliance with accounting regulations typically results in:

• Administrative fines for inadequate accounting records
• Potential tax reassessments based on estimated income
• Difficulty in claiming legitimate business expenses
• Challenges in business license renewals

Conclusion

Circular 152/2025/TT-BTC is an important legal document marking progress in standardizing and supporting accounting work for household businesses and individual entrepreneurs in Vietnam. Strict compliance with these regulations not only helps meet legal requirements but also contributes to improving management efficiency and sustainable development of business operations. For the millions of small business operators across Vietnam, this Circular represents both an obligation and an opportunity to professionalize their operations and access greater economic opportunities.